Welcome back, hard surface flooring! Sought-after surfaces like hardwood and luxury vinyl are easy to clean, easy to maintain and highly durable. All the more reason to kick your old flooring to the curb. (As long as your waste company is cool with that!)

Hey There, Hardwoods

Balance the Dark and the Light: Don’t be afraid to take things dark this year. Really dark. Oak, maple and hickory are more than fine, but play with some deep, rich stains like dark walnut and ebony. This dramatic treatment works best in large, open rooms like the dining and/or living room. On the other extreme, blonde and ultra-light hardwoods expand smaller rooms and open them up with a contemporary levity.

Won’t You Come Whitewash Away the Stain: Whitewash stains give light, pre-finished woods a nicely settled, satin or matte finish. (See you later, shiny floors!) Grey stains are a lovely and rising trend. The result is a muted tone that brings a sense of calm to a room like the bedroom. In a similar vein, “greige” (grey + beige) adds a bit of warm tone to the standard grey, while not taking it too far out of the cool zone. Using colors like grey, brown, taupe, beige and other earth tones makes it easier for you to mix and match furniture and make subtle transitions from room to room.

Oh, and skip the polyurethane sealant this year. Take it back old school with an oiled floor for a more natural texture and look.

Rolling Stones on Vinyl

For a more cost-effective version of hardwood floors, look into luxury vinyl. This style of flooring can be styled to look like hardwood, but won’t warp with moisture like wood can. Porcelain planks that look like hardwood are also a big, cost-effective hit. Planks that resemble wood work well in rooms that may see some wet traffic, like the foyer or hallway, giving you the look you want, but saving you the risk of warping wood.

Don’t discount marble, either. Synthetic marble is making way into the countertop community, and you can find a similar pattern in luxury vinyl planks. With increasing frequency, you can find the wood and stone patterns you love at half the price thanks to creative innovation.

Learn more! Read our Carpet and Hard Flooring Buying Guide.